Sometimes the prompt is as short as a few words: “I am applying to Tufts Because…” Other times, the prompt, like that of Cornell’s, is rather wordy: “At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.”

Yet both of these prompts — and so many other college essay prompts — pose the same question: Why do you want to go to this college?

The Top Colleges That Ask “Why This College” Essay Prompts

The following top 25 national universities in the 2025 US News & World Report ranking pose “Why College” essays:

• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Dartmouth College
• Duke University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Northwestern University
• Princeton University
• Rice University
• University of Chicago
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of Pennsylvania
• Yale University

The following top 25 liberal arts colleges in the 2025 US News & World Report ranking pose “Why College” essays:

• Barnard College
• Bowdoin College
• Claremont McKenna College
• Davidson College
• Hamilton College
• Haverford College
• Swarthmore College
• Washington and Lee University
• Wellesley College

The Specific “Why College” Essay Prompts for the Top Colleges

Of the top 25 national universities in the 2025 US News & World Report ranking, the following is a breakdown of the specific wording of their “Why College” essays (if the school asks the question), along with the respective word counts:

College / University	2025 US News Rank (“Best National Universities”)	“Why College” Essay Prompt	Maximum Word Count
Princeton University	1	As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests?	250
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	2	What field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Note: Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you.	200
Harvard University	3	N/A	N/A
Stanford University	4	N/A	N/A
Yale University	5	Reflect on how your interests, values, and/or experiences have drawn you to Yale.	125
California Institute of Technology	6	N/A	N/A
Duke University	6	What is your impression of Duke as a university and community, and why do you believe it is a good match for your goals, values, and interests? If there is something specific that attracts you to our academic offerings in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering, or to our co-curricular opportunities, feel free to include that too.	250
Johns Hopkins University	6	N/A	N/A
Northwestern University	6	Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.	200
University of Pennsylvania	10	How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.	200
Cornell University	11	(For CAS) At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences.	650
University of Chicago	11	How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.	N/A
Brown University	13	In one sentence, Why Brown?	50
Columbia University	13	Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.	150
Dartmouth College	15	As you seek admission to Dartmouth’s Class of 2030, what aspects of the college’s academic program, community, and/or campus environment attract your interest? How is Dartmouth a good fit for you?	100
University of California, Los Angeles	15	N/A	N/A
University of California, Berkeley	17	N/A	N/A
University of Notre Dame	18	N/A	N/A
Rice University	18	Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?	150
Vanderbilt University	18	N/A	N/A
Carnegie Mellon University	21	N/A	N/A
University of Michigan	21	Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?	550
Washington University in St. Louis	21	N/A	N/A
Emory University	24	N/A	N/A
Georgetown University	24	N/A	N/A
University of Virginia	24	N/A	N/A

Of the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the 2025 US News & World Report ranking, the following is a breakdown of the specific wording of their “Why College” essays (if the school asks the question), along with the respective word counts:

College / University	2025 US News Rank	“Why College” Essay Prompt	Maximum Word Count
Williams College	1	N/A	N/A
Amherst College	2	N/A	N/A
Swarthmore College	3	N/A	N/A
Bowdoin College	5	N/A	N/A
Pomona College	5	N/A	N/A
Wellesley College	7	N/A	N/A
Carleton College	8	N/A	N/A
Claremont McKenna College	8	CMC’s mission is to prepare students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions. With this mission in mind, please explain why you want to attend Claremont McKenna College.	250
Harvey Mudd College	12	N/A	N/A
Vassar College	12	N/A	N/A
Barnard College	14	Rooted in a history of trailblazing women, Barnard College is a collaborative community of care shaped by bold women with a multitude of perspectives. Choose one woman— historical, fictional, contemporary, or personally significant— whose views differ from your own. Imagine a conversation with her. What would you discuss? How might her perspective challenge or shift your own? Share how this new mindset could influence your approach to learning and engagement both in and beyond the classroom at Barnard.	250
Davidson College	14	There are just under 4,000 four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Being as specific as possible, what interests you most about Davidson College?	300
Hamilton College	14	At Hamilton, we each bring different backgrounds and perspectives, and we teach one another about the world through our individual and shared experiences. What would you like us to know about you and your interest in Hamilton? How can Hamilton inspire you on your journey to “know thyself?”	350
Smith College	14	N/A	N/A
Wesleyan University	14	N/A	N/A
Grinnell College	19	N/A	N/A
Middlebury College	19	N/A	N/A
Washington and Lee University	19	There are over 8,200 accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. alone. You have chosen to apply to Washington and Lee University. Please describe how you have familiarized yourself with W&L and what aspects of its community are most exciting to you.	250
Colgate University	22	Colgate students immerse themselves in social and intellectual pursuits that inspire them. Tell us in 250 words or less what inspires you and why you want to pursue that at Colgate.	250
University of Richmond	22	N/A	N/A
Haverford College	24	We have highlighted for you some of the values that shape the Haverford community. What are some of the values you seek in your next community? How do Haverford’s values, as demonstrated through our Honor Code, resonate with you? As you think about how to answer this question, you might draw from how you have been influenced by other communities you have been a part of, experiences you may have had within your communities, or opportunities you have had to shape or even change your communities.	250
Colby College	25	N/A	N/A

What Colleges Want to See in “Why College” Essay Responses

Admissions officers at America’s elite universities want to see that students have done their homework on the institution they’re applying to. They want to see that the student isn’t just submitting another application for the sake of submitting another application. In fact, so many universities ask “Why College” essay questions because admissions officers seek to admit students who they believe will matriculate. After all, their yield, or the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll, matters to them.

The Importance of Demonstrated Interest

A great way to shape the yield is by admitting students they think are likely to enroll — or quantifying a student’s Demonstrated Interest. And what’s a good indicator of a student’s Demonstrated Interest? An applicant who cites specific after specific in their “Why College” essay. Likewise, a good indicator that a student has no intention of enrolling or that the college is a backup for the student is a “Why College” essay devoid of specifics.

How to Find Specifics for “Why College” Essays

Students searching for specifics to include in “Why College” essays should zero in on the school’s student newspaper (especially if the newspaper has archives dating back many years), Facebook, Instagram, Google Earth, and more.

If there’s a lecture series a student wishes to write about, chances are there are photos of the talk available on Facebook or Instagram. Students should comb through those photos as well as the captions. By doing so, they’ll be able to include small details, like the fact that it took place in Lowell Lecture Hall.

How to Write a “Why College” Essay

Some students worry that painting a portrait of themselves on the school’s campus is presumptuous since they may not earn admission. But admissions officers know the drill. They know students are painting a portrait of their dream, and admissions officers need to be able to envision you at their school, getting involved in the college’s community.

In addition to citing specific after specific, it’s also important that students write this essay in a conversational tone. College essays should not be formal — they’ll read as too dry. As such, students should aim to avoid beginning sentences with words like “however,” “nevertheless,” and “thus” as much as possible. It’s all about writing colloquially!

The “Why College” essay exercise is ultimately all about showing rather than telling. Telling a college that it’s a student’s first choice isn’t credible since that college knows the student can write that sentence for every school they apply to. But by including specific after specific, by showing rather than telling, they have a better chance of convincing admissions officers of their message.

5 Things Applicants Must Do in “Why College” Essays

1. Tailor most sentences to the school they’re applying to. If a student can read the sentence aloud and replace the school’s name with another school, and the sentence still works, the student should delete it!
2. Write about themselves actively engaged on the school’s campus. It’s not an essay just about the student. And it’s not an essay just about the school. It’s the student plus the school.
3. Cite enduring specifics about a school, like programs, institutes, the school’s culture, traditions, and so much more.
4. Write only about the school in question. While it may seem obvious, many students compare the school to other institutions. Yikes!
5. Double-check the accuracy of the specifics cited. Programs end. Activities get eliminated. Make sure all of the specifics mentioned remain timely.

5 Most Common Mistakes in “Why College” Essays

1. Students cut and paste their “Why College” essays for multiple universities. It’s transparent to admissions officers when students are not tailoring their “Why College” essay to the school they’re applying to. For instance, when a student writes that they want to attend a school because of its beautiful campus and engaged student body, admissions officers know full well that they likely used this same sentence for the other schools to which they applied. Instead, every sentence should contain a specific reference that applies only to the school. In a “Why Columbia” essay, if one can replace Columbia with Harvard and the sentence still works, delete it!
2. Students name-drop professors and classes, thinking those count as specifics. Admissions officers are unlikely to believe a student wishes to attend a university because a specific person works there. Besides, no one likes a name-dropper. And they know students can easily cut and paste class names from one university’s course catalog to the next. In any case, classes change from year to year. Instead, students should endeavor to capture enduring specifics about a university.
3. Students write about only themselves for vast chunks of “Why College” essays, forgetting to write about the college. The “Why College” essay should be considered a date. If someone speaks about themselves endlessly on a date without asking about the other person, it’s unlikely to end well.
4. Students cite incorrect specifics about a university. Maybe it’s a leftover from another school’s “Why College” essay, or the student didn’t do their homework. Either way, writing about the D-Plan for Duke or the gorges for Penn will not bode well for a student’s candidacy at these schools.
5. Students cite specifics in laundry lists. While “Why College” essays should be brimming with specific after specific, it’s important not to include these specifics in a laundry list. Instead of naming one activity after another that a student hopes to participate in, applicants should let each activity breathe. They can do so by citing more minor specifics about the individual activity they’re referencing. In short, don’t just name the activity, but go into detail about that activity.

FAQs About the “Why This College?” Essay

Do applicants need to consult with students at a school to find specifics?

It’s not necessary. All the information you’ll need to find the specifics is available online. You just have to know where to look. For example, if you’re researching the Cornell Speech & Debate Society, go on the group’s Facebook page. Do you see how they recently competed at the Hell Froze Over Tournament in Austin? It’s these very kinds of specifics that showcase a student has done their homework.

Should applicants take extensive notes on college tours and information sessions to use this information in “Why College” essays?

No, because those aren’t the kinds of specifics worthy of including in “Why College” essays. That’s general information about universities offered on tours and info sessions. Instead, students should endeavor to teach admissions officers things they don’t know about their school — not regurgitate the school’s already-existing marketing material.

Is it impossible to find genuine specifics for “Why College” essays?

No, it’s pretty easy. Students simply need to know where to look. Did you know the archives for The Cornell Daily Sun date back to 1880? The stuff one can find out about Cornell in such articles — and the search function makes it relatively easy to navigate!

Does every university care about Demonstrated Interest?

Some universities claim not to care about Demonstrated Interest. For example, Emory University writes on its website, “Demonstrated interest” is not a factor in our application review process. Things have no impact on the evaluation of your application.”

But Emory is the university that created Demonstrated Interest. No matter how loudly or how vociferously Emory tries to argue that they don’t care about Demonstrated Interest, we urge students and parents not to believe Emory’s marketing material. Emory, like all highly selective universities, wants students to apply. As such, they don’t want to do anything to discourage students from applying — like creating barriers such as making it seem like students need to visit the campus to improve their case for admission.

So when a college tells applicants they don’t measure Demonstrated Interest, we urge that message to go in one ear and out the other. Arguably, the only school that doesn’t care about Demonstrated Interest is Harvard College — because Harvard knows students want to go there over just about every other school. Most other universities are insecure, and, as such, they want students to prove they want to go there.

Ivy Coach Helps Students Craft Compelling “Why College” Essays

Helping students craft powerful “Why College” essays that not only wow admissions officers but teach them intel they don’t even know about their school is a big part of what we do. If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s assistance, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.